Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce

[ChicagoSizzlin]

Is it needed or is BBQ sauce just fine? Im going to do my first pork butt this weekend. This is prep work for my sons Bday party in a month which Im doing pulled pork sammies. Just wondering if I should put a finishing sauce with it or just stick with BBQ sauce?

Just wanted to hear opinions on this.

[the_hunchback]

You could do either honestly, each person is different. I normally eat mine plane but have gotten a sauce from another website that is absolutely fantastic. I'm not sure how this place is about posting links to other forums so I'll refrain from doing so.

[boogiesnap]

i think it is OK. it's all about learning and sharing here. MODS?

[Sleepy Smoker]

I found this recipe on the internet a few months ago and have used it twice with outstanding results.

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons red pepper flake
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/3 cups water

After the pork is pulled and placed into whatever you plan to serve it from, pour roughly half of the sauce over the meat to keep it nice and moist. Then I take the remainder and pour it into a squeeze bottle so that each person can finish off their sandwich with more sauce. You may need to strain out the red pepper flake to avoid clogging up the squeeze bottle. I needed to do that the first time I prepared it and I think it turned out better that way.

When tasted on its own the sauce is pretty strong, and you may not think much of it. But when mixed with the pork something magical happens. Give it a try.

As far as what is necessary when serving your sandwiches... do whatever you'd like. You could serve it with multiple sauces so everyone can choose their favorite. If I went all out I would probably serve some of the vinegar pepper sauce I posted above, a nice bbq sauce like Blues Hog, and finally a mustard-based sauce.

Heck, I'll post that one too. This was also found on the internet pretty easily and was great as well.

1 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients (besides butter, soy sauce & liquid smoke) and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the butter, soy sauce & liquid smoke and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

I'd probably skip adding the liquid smoke all together since you are adding it to a butt you smoked yourself.

[BlueHowler]

Here is one I made last week with a smoked pork roast.

North Carolina style finishing sauce

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3 tblsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tblsp brown sugar
• 1 tblsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tblsp hot pepper sauce (or omit the cayenne and use 2 tblsp)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
  

The hot sauce I used is Professor Payne Indeass's Sphincter Shrinker hot sauce.
Very flavorful and made with applesauce, vinegar, raisins, and chile extract.

The whole mix was awesome with the pork.

[nitelightboy]

I don't normally do a finishing sauce. Just pull it, pile it up on some bread, pour on some of my family's mustard sauce and enjoy.

We made some BBQ nachos tonight for dinner with some leftover and I think that saucing it wouldn't have made the nachos oh so yummy. Just my 2 cents.

[boatnut]

i've never done a finishing sauce but sleepy smoker may be onto something. Me likes a vinegary sauce on me pulled pork! I think as long as it just keeps things moist then it's fine. Lots of people don't like any sauce....so I usually make couple different sauces and serve on the side.

[mmmmeat]

i wouldnt call it a sauce, but on a 10 or so pound butt, i have used like 1/2 C ACV, and 1/2 C apple juice just to infuse some moisture at the end, and some apple flavor even more, just drizzle it over the top after pulled, i usually am doin this at 6 or 7 in the morn after all nighter, then it goes in the fridge after it cools down just a bit more, and when sammich time comes, i have a vareity of sauces so everyone can try somethin they like

[blackdog043]

I use a crock pot to keep it hot when having a party, so I sauce lightly to keep it moist. I usually mix BBQ and a vinegar based sauce.

[salth2o]

Originally Posted by the_hunchback

You could do either honestly, each person is different. I normally eat mine plane but have gotten a sauce from another website that is absolutely fantastic. I'm not sure how this place is about posting links to other forums so I'll refrain from doing so.

Copy and paste?

[/dev/bbq]

Sammies huh? Got a local Japanese steakhouse? Maybe a sushi restaurant? Most will sell you a mason jar of ginger salad dressing. I used to doctor it up for dipping sauce on whole hog, but I guarantee you that a little drizzle on a pulled pork sandwich will land you in the hall of fame...

[ChicagoSizzlin]

Wow thanks so much for the input. I think this weekend i will try the vinegar one Sleepy posted - thanks Sleepy! i will def let you know what I think of it. I don't think I will mix it in the pork at first. I will just put it on the side for now. Just for the sake of experimenting with different sauces. Dev/bbq I will be o the look out for that ginger salad dressing as well.

This weekend is the testing stage so I know how to approach the party.

[Sleepy Smoker]

Cool, ChicagoSizzlin! Hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I did. It shouldn't be a problem at all to not mix it in directly with the pork and just serve it on the side. However, if the pork seems to need a bit of liquid to bring it "back to life", don't hesitate to drizzle some on the entire pan and give it a good stir. You won't be disappointed.

I hinted at it in my initial post, but I will give one more tip since you are going to use it. The first time I made the sauce I reserved half to pour over the pork (as it was going to be reheated and served in a crock pot) and took the other half, strained out the red pepper flake, and placed it into a squeeze bottle. The results were just about perfect.

The next time I made it I didn't need to transport the dish anywhere so I didn't strain half the sauce of the pepper flakes. I wouldn't say that the dish was "hot" with the full dose of red pepper flakes, just that for whatever reason I preferred the first batch. Whether this was a matter of the pulled pork being reheated hours later, the sauce having more time to mellow out, the reduced amount of red pepper, or just a better pork butt, I don't know. I do know the next time I make it (which will be this weekend!) I plan on cutting the red pepper flake in about half. We'll see if that does the trick.

So just experiment. You'll find out what works best for you. Good luck. And remember, the sauce on its own tastes sort of... strange. So don't freak out if you taste it alone like I did the very first time I made it.

[jonboy]

I don't think I will mix it in the pork at first. I will just put it on the side for now. Just for the sake of experimenting with different sauces.

That sounds like a good plan. Have several sauces to try on the side and you will soon know what combos you like or dislike. I will usually set out 3 sauces and the family lets me know what works and doesn't work for them.
Keeping the family happy is what its all about.
jon

[Dave Russell]

I don't like much apple juice (or any juice) mixed in w/ my pork. Last time I made sort of a N. Carolina dip, but milder, and also had some chicken broth in it. I'm trying to add moisture, and a bit of seasoning without changing the flavor much.